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Cammie
“Sweetheart, can you grab this for me?” Reid calls from the kitchen.
I wiggle out from underneath the mound of blankets and Finn, hopping off the couch. In the kitchen, Reid is scooping chicken alfredo into a bowl.
“Who is all this for?” I ask, eyeing the two monstrous bowls portioned out beside the one he’s filling.
My alpha’s lips tug up at the corners, and he flicks his tongue out to lick an errant bit of sauce. “All of us. We need to carb load. The change in Finn’s scent means he’s entering the next phase of pre-heat. When he wakes up, he’ll be ravenous, trying to store as much energy as possible. You should too. We’ll need all of it to get through the next few days.” He adds breadsticks to each plate, and my eyes widen.
We’ve spent the last two days with Finn, rotating between the heat nest and the downstairs den, and we’ve binged through several movie franchises between naps. Finn’s been a grumpy ball of fluff, traveling in a cloud of blankets. He’s achy and feverish, sleeping between bouts of cramps that only ease when he’s snuggled between the two of us with a heating pad. It’s been adorably cute too, how he crawls in our laps and refuses to budge. He’s taken to wearing only a sweatshirt of Reid’s, his black boxers, and a pair of fluffy socks I got him for his heat. But getting him to eat has been impossible. He wouldn't have gotten anything down if it wasn’t for Reid’s smoothies.
“Want me to add a slice of the carrot cake I made yesterday?” I ask.
Reid’s been showing me Finn’s favorite recipes. Still, Reid’s a little territorial about the kitchen right now, and I figure it’s better to watch and learn this time around. It’s honestly the hottest thing that he’s gone into protective, caregiving alpha mode. Reid’s so in tune with Finn, so eager to tend to him that it makes my heart gooey. I love how sweet this big man is, how he’s not afraid to tap into those gentler instincts.
He nods. “Good thinking.”
I slice up several and stack them on a plate, adding it to the tray. I grab the drinks, and Reid carries the food, setting it all down on the coffee table in the den.
The scent must rouse Finn, because he pops up faster than he’s moved in days and dives on the tray. He manages a breadstick before speaking. “Oh my gods, this is my favorite. How did you know I was craving this?”
Reid gives me a knowing look and a secret smile as he takes his bowl, wedging himself beside Finn. “I thought you might be hungry when you woke up.”
Finn hands our alpha his bowl and climbs into his lap, situating a mound of blankets around him and making sure they’re just right before making grabby hands at the bowl. “Give me.”
“So demanding,” I tease.
He takes a bite, doing a little wiggly dance with the fork. “Unapologetically. And right now, I need you closer.” He waves to me. “Like, up here with me.”
We cannot fit on Reid’s lap in our current configuration on the couch, so I grab my bowl and plaster myself to Reid’s side. This marginally appeases Finn, though he lets out a little growl and rearranges himself until he’s half on the two of us.
“We have to go back! I didn’t see what happened during the heist.” Finn pouts.
We restart the movie, and he settles again. Of course, Reid is right. Finn eats his entire bowl of pasta and two pieces of cake before passing out again in our alpha’s lap.
I clean up the kitchen and meet Reid at the bottom of the stairs. Finn is sound asleep, draped in his arms. I’m still learning to read my new bonds, but I can tell Finn’s been worried about his heat and whether I’ll see him differently afterward. He’s afraid of showing me this last part of himself. I get what that’s like, to be stripped down and to feel bare. But I want to be able to give back to Finn all the playfulness and passion he’s given to me. I love Finn and how he is; Ilove being an omega’s mate. It feels like a gift he’s granting me to allow me to see him so vulnerable and join Reid in caring for him.
I follow our alpha, admiring the flex of his ass as he carries Finn.
“You seem to be enjoying the view.” Reid chuckles, looking behind him with a smirk.
“Sure am. You’ve got that hot-protector-firefighter look down, alpha.”
He turns down the hall, his deep chuckle in his wake. “Grab the door for me, love?”
I scurry around him to open the nest. Reid gently places Finn in the nesting mound before covering him with another blanket.
“It’s time to stock the fridge in here and ensure I’ve got all the supplies we’ll need. Can you stay with him? He’ll sleep better if one of us is here.”
I nod, eyeing Finn, pulling a stray curl from where it’s fallen over his face, and tucking it behind his ear. “What happens next? I know you guys told me, but I want to get it right.”
Reid tugs on my chin, drawing my eyes to him. His thumb traces over my bottom lip. “There’s no test, sweetheart. You’re doing great. I have experience with Finn, but every heat is different. We just listen to his needs and the changes in his scent. He’s vocal. He’ll tell us what he wants.”
His words ease that bubbling anxiety, and I try to just let it go. “Okay, I can do that.”
“You already are.” He leans in and kisses my lips in reassurance. “I’ll be in and out.”
I get comfortable beside Finn, joining him under the blanket and snuggling into his side. His arm drapes around me, pulling me closer; otherwise, he doesn’t stir. I take the time to study his features up close, following the tattoos on his chest and breathing in his leather and oak scent until my eyelids are so heavy I can’t keep them open.
